Wilma Theater News

Students from The University of the Arts come together with three of Philadelphia's leading theater artists to bring John Irving's 1985 novel 'The Cider House Rules' to the Merriam Theater stage April 3-5. Johnnie Hobbs Jr. and Aaron Cromie, faculty members in the university's School of Theater Arts, direct the play's first and second parts, respectively.

The Flea Theater will extend its critically acclaimed World Premiere production of Itamar Moses' LOVE/STORIES (OR BUT YOU WILL GET USED TO IT), a collection of five short new plays. Moses is the author of The Four of Us, Bach at Leipzig, Back Back Back and Celebrity Row, a playwright whose sensibility is the perfect match for The Bats, The Flea's resident company of emerging artists. Originally scheduled to close March 9, the production has been extended for 3 more weeks, through March 30.

Philadelphia Young Playwrights (PYP) continues to break new ground, promoting literacy through playwriting to students throughout the School District of Philadelphia, while building lasting collaborations with professional theater companies. Two forthcoming events showcase the results of PYP's year-round programming, Play Development Series and the growing contributions of Philadelphia's outstanding theatre community, as PYP works to sustain theatre arts education for Philadelphia's youth amidst widespread budget cuts and diminishing arts education.

Students from The University of the Arts come together with three of Philadelphia's leading theater artists to bring John Irving's 1985 novel 'The Cider House Rules' to the Merriam Theater stage April 3-5. Johnnie Hobbs Jr. and Aaron Cromie, faculty members in the university's School of Theater Arts, direct the play's first and second parts, respectively.

The Flea Theater has announced a 2nd extension its wildly popular and critically acclaimed World Premiere production of Itamar Moses' LOVE/STORIES (OR BUT YOU WILL GET USED TO IT. Moses is the author of The Four of Us, Bach at Leipzig, Back Back Back and Celebrity Row, a playwright whose sensibility has proven to be a perfect match for The Bats, The Flea's resident company of emerging artists. The production, which began performances on January 29, has been extended for an additional 4 weeks. The new closing date is now April 25.

The Wilma Theater will celebrate co-Artistic Directors Blanka Zizka and Jiri Zizka's 30th Anniversary with The Wilma Theater and will honor Board Chair Peggy Greenawalt at its 2009 Gala on May 1, 2009 beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The Wilma Theater welcomes a distinguished group of speakers on Monday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m. for 'Now That We're Together, Everything Feels Better,' a panel discussion in conjunction with the theater's East Coast Premiere of Scorched, by acclaimed Lebanese-Canadian playwright Wajdi Mouawad. Directed by Blanka Zizka, the production continues the theater's 30th anniversary season and runs from February 25 through March 29, 2009.

The Wilma Theater welcomes a distinguished group of speakers on Monday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m. for 'Now That We're Together, Everything Feels Better,' a panel discussion in conjunction with the theater's East Coast Premiere of Scorched, by acclaimed Lebanese-Canadian playwright Wajdi Mouawad. Directed by Blanka Zizka, the production continues the theater's 30th anniversary season and runs from February 25 through March 29, 2009.

1812 Productions is pleased to present its third world premiere comedy of the 2008-2009 season, The Karma Cookie. The Karma Cookie will run from March 5th to March 29th at The Adrienne Theatre, 2030 Sansom Street. Press Opening is Wednesday March 11th. Tickets range from $17-$35 and are available by contacting 1812 Productions directly at (215) 592-9560 or at www.1812productions.org.

Music Director Robert Spano will lead the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Chorus in an ASO Theater of a Concert presentation of Haydn's The Creation. Set designer Anne Patterson and Projection Designer Adam Larsen, whose work has enhanced the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra's performances of St. John Passion and Gorecki's Third Symphony, return to design Joseph Haydn's The Creation in Atlanta Symphony Hall on February 26 and 28, 2008 at 8:00 pm. Soloists include soprano Janice Chandler, tenor Thomas Cooley, and bass Derrick Parker.

The Flea Theater will extend its critically acclaimed World Premiere production of Itamar Moses' LOVE/STORIES (OR BUT YOU WILL GET USED TO IT), a collection of five short new plays. Moses is the author of The Four of Us, Bach at Leipzig, Back Back Back and Celebrity Row, a playwright whose sensibility is the perfect match for The Bats, The Flea's resident company of emerging artists. Originally scheduled to close March 9, the production has been extended for 3 more weeks, through March 30.

The Wilma Theater continues its 30th Anniversary Season with the East Coast Premiere of Scorched, directed by the Wilma's co-Artistic Director Blanka Zizka and written by highly acclaimed Lebanese-Canadian playwright Wajdi Mouawad. An international tour de force, Scorched arrives in the U.S. having received more than 100 productions worldwide. It has been translated into a dozen languages and is currently being adapted into a feature film. The Wilma's production ? only the second U.S. production of the play ? begins previews on February 25, opens on March 4, and closes on March 29, 2009. Tickets start at $39 and are available at the Wilma Box Office by calling (215) 546-7824, visiting 265 S. Broad Street, or online at www.wilmatheater.org.

The Wilma Theater welcomes a distinguished group of speakers on Monday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m. for 'Now That We're Together, Everything Feels Better,' a panel discussion in conjunction with the theater's East Coast Premiere of Scorched, by acclaimed Lebanese-Canadian playwright Wajdi Mouawad. Directed by Blanka Zizka, the production continues the theater's 30th anniversary season and runs from February 25 through March 29, 2009.

People's Light & Theatre Company presents the East Coast Premiere of Dwayne Hartford's new adaptation of A TALE OF TWO CITIES from the classic novel by Charles Dickens. A TALE OF TWO CITIES runs from March 11 - May 3, 2009, on the Main Stage. Co-Founder Ken Marini directs. People's Light & Theatre is located at 39 Conestoga Road, Malvern. For tickets call 610-644-3500 or visit www.peopleslight.org. A TALE OF TWO CITIES is part of the Target Family Discovery Series and is part of the U.S. Airways New Plays Festival for Families.

1812 Productions is pleased to present its third world premiere comedy of the 2008-2009 season, The Karma Cookie. The Karma Cookie will run from March 5th to March 29th at The Adrienne Theatre, 2030 Sansom Street. Press Opening is Wednesday March 11th. Tickets range from $17-$35 and are available by contacting 1812 Productions directly at (215) 592-9560 or at www.1812productions.org.

Music Director Robert Spano will lead the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Chorus in an ASO Theater of a Concert presentation of Haydn's The Creation. Set designer Anne Patterson and Projection Designer Adam Larsen, whose work has enhanced the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra's performances of St. John Passion and Gorecki's Third Symphony, return to design Joseph Haydn's The Creation in Atlanta Symphony Hall on February 26 and 28, 2008 at 8:00 pm. Soloists include soprano Janice Chandler, tenor Thomas Cooley, and bass Derrick Parker.

Bristol Riverside Theatre presents the World Premiere of What You Will, a BRT original interpretation of Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night from February 10 through March 1, 2009. A daring and bold take on the classic comedy that combines the language of Shakespeare with contemporary rhythms and movement, What You Will is conceived and co-directed by BRT Artistic Director Keith Baker and Donald Byrd, acclaimed choreographer of Broadway's The Color Purple and Artistic Director of Seattle's Spectrum Dance Theater. Music direction and original music by hip hop producer Justin Ellington completes the marriage of text, high-energy movement and heart-pounding music. What You Will begins previews February 10, opens February 12, and closes March 1, 2009. Tickets are $29 - $37, with $10 student tickets, and are available by calling the Box Office at (215) 785-0100 or visiting the theatre at 120 Radcliffe Street in Bristol, with information online at www.brtstage.org. [A full performance schedule follows on page 4.] In this new interpretation, Shakespeare's original text is heard with a distinctively contemporary American voice as the worlds of modern urban and classical theatre are fused. In What You Will (Shakespeare's full title for the play was Twelfth Night, Or What You Will), the social center of Illyria is Club 12th Night - a place where pranks and disguises, playful games and folly rule. A shipwrecked woman stumbles into the club, beginning a chain of events leading to an astonishing conclusion. Mistaken identities, intrigue, music, a beautiful heiress, drunken partiers, and a spiteful servant merge with a hip-hop rhythm in Shakespeare's enchanting tale of revelry and love.

The New York Times is reporting that, MCC Theater has announced a bit of unconventional casting news for its stage adaptation of the graphic novel by Neil Gaiman. Jayne Houdyshell, 55, who was nominated for a Tony award for her performance in 'Well,' will play the 9-year-old Coraline according to the Times' Arts, Briefly column.

Theatre Exile's 12th season is in full swing with the Philadelphia premiere of Blackbird by David Harrower, the 2007 Olivier Award winner for best new play in London. Directed by producing artistic director Joe Canuso, the show runs February 5 - March 1 at Plays and Players Theatre. Blackbird is recommended for mature audiences because of strong language and sexual content.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre greets the new year by proudly presenting its 50th world premiere, a new comedy about marriage, intimacy, and electricity from the creators of Eurydice. Celebrated playwright Sarah Ruhl and Obie Award-winning director Les Waters come together again for the debut of In the Next Room (or the vibrator play). Commissioned by Berkeley Rep and staged in the state-of-the-art Roda Theatre, this hotly anticipated play begins previews on January 30, opens February 4, and closes March 15. BART and Wells Fargo serve as season sponsors for Berkeley Rep's 41st year of fearless theatre, and the executive producer for this show is the Strauch Kulhanjian Family.